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Yoga

My practice and background

I have been teaching yoga since 1990. My approach is as eclectic as my personal practice but guided by my firm belief that yoga is — first and foremost — a moving meditation.

Rather than adhering to one particular type of hatha yoga, I draw from the yoga styles that have influenced me deeply: Iyengar, Ishta, vinyasa yoga and yin yoga. Favorite teachers include Judith Hanson Lasater, Alan Finger, Mary Dunn, Shiva Rae and Bryan Kest.

What to Expect in a Class or Private Lesson

My goal as a teacher is always this: that your yoga practice will lead you to an ongoing state of balance and harmony.

Pranayama, or breath work, is the cornerstone of all yoga. We begin with and maintain the connection to the breath during each session. Breath and movement blend together, dropping you into a deeper intuitive awareness.

I pay special attention to correct alignment and form, always adjusting the yoga poses so that a student is challenged but never forced. I sequence the poses and pace the sessions so that your body is prepared by each pose to go deeper into the next. My sessions are comprehensive. You’ll walk the edge of sensation as you practice, but always safely.

You will learn to inhabit your body with more ease — even if you are dealing with a chronic condition or injury (both of which can be very effectively addressed with yoga). You will strengthen, tone and detoxify every inch of yourself, inside and out.

Finally, you will emerge from your practice feeling expanded, grounded and peaceful, with body, mind and spirit attuned to a higher healthier vibration.

Yoga Workshops

Yoga For Balance: Discovering Your Courage

It takes a fearless heart to tackle balancing poses. Yet that may be their greatest benefit to your yoga practice: they develop courage. And as you begin to master them, balancing poses also build strength and confidence, qualities that you can take—along with courage—off the mat and into your daily life.

In this fascinating fun 2 & 1/2 hour workshop Ricarda will give you the tools you need for balancing poses:

Ricarda gives clear specific instruction on the technique for each pose, along with ways to customize the pose to suit your level of practice and/or your body’s unique requirements. For each asana, she teaches you counter-poses and complementary stretches to unwind the muscles and realign the bones. At the end of the practice we’ll finish with a luxurious deep relaxation.

Everyone is welcome at this workshop, whatever you level of practice. Just bring your mat and your curiosity. You will leave informed, satisfied, and empowered. And filled with courage.

Yoga for Purification

Yoga strengthens, stretches and tones your muscles and bones. Did you know that it can do the same for your internal systems? That you can use your practice to purify your body and maximize your health? You know you feel better when you finish yoga practice. This workshop shows you why.

Yoga for Purification is a rejuvenating “spring cleaning” for body, mind and spirit. As Ricarda guides you through this comprehensive, lively, sweaty class, you will learn which poses and breath…

Release toxins

Increase the flow of vital energy (prana

Rev up your metabolism

Improve digestion

Balance the endocrine system

Harmonize the nervous system

Stimulate the immune response

Elevate mood

Banish Insomnia

Yoga for Purification is 2 & 1/2 hours long. By the end of the workshop your mind will be clear and calm, your energy bright and your body refreshed. Most important, you will have a deeper understanding of the asanas and breath work, and how to use them for complete well-being.

This workshop is open to all levels. Bring a large bottle of water, your mat, a small towel, and a healthy snack for after we’ve finished. To get the most out of the workshop, eat lightly and not less than two hours before we start.

Breath of Life: The Art of Pranayama

One of the most immediate ways to shift consciouness and restore your body and mind is by mastering your breath. Indeed, the Sanskrit word “prana” is defined both as ‘vital energy’ and ‘breath’. Yet most of us have no idea how to control the way we breathe, or appreciate how much better we would feel by taking the time to do so.

The breathing techniques laid forth in yoga are an excellent method for training the breath. Called Pranayama, these classic exercises not only teach you how to breathe correctly but also how to regulate your breath. In doing so you become more aware of your unique energy system. You learn to notice when you are “off,” and can then use your breath to move quickly into a healthier balanced state.

This introductory two-hour workshop includes:

Anatomy of the respiratory system

How biochemistry changes during pranayama

The chakras and nadis

Preparing the body and mind for pranayama

Specific pranayama exercises and their effects

In Breath of Life, Ricarda covers the essential basics of pranayama, but also delves into the more subtle aspects of the art. So whether you are a beginner or a seasoned yogi, this workshop delivers information and skills that you can use both in yoga class and in your daily life. With this workshop Ricarda empowers you to take charge of your breath so you can then raise your vital energy to its optimum vibration.

“Besides being an extraordinary yoga instructor, Ricarda has a gift of establishing a trust that is even beyond friendship. I have been touched deeply by her love and guidance.” Pamela Morgan, New York, NY